Submitted by Hunter Maddock on the 2024 Winter MUSC program in London, England…
This past Saturday a few friends and I went to Saint Paul’s Cathedral within the central city of London. As we walked towards the massive building, a faint grumbling began to rise. We walked up to the cathedral, and to our right we saw one of London’s planned demonstrations occurring within the streets. The demonstration before us was a peaceful march through the city to reiterate calls for a ceasefire in Gaza and to show support for Palestine. The sight of nearly 500,000 people marching through the streets of London was very emotional to witness; the ability for a collective of this caliber to peacefully make a stand for what they believe in is very inspirational and empowering.
We climbed to the top of Saint Paul’s Cathedral to the Golden Gallery, allowing us to get a full view of the city from 280 feet high. From there, we were able to see the stretch of people spanning the streets below. We were also able to spot London landmarks such as The Shard, The London Eye, and Tower Bridge.
One of the most notable rooms inside of the cathedral was the Whispering Gallery. The circular shape allowed for an interesting acoustical characteristic to occur. When one whispers up against the wall, someone on the other side of the room has the ability to hear what is said clearly. This concept connects to the demonstration occurring outside the cathedral, because the people are peacefully making a stand that is heard throughout the entire city. Although we did not intend to witness the demonstration, we are all glad that we were able to observe the power of the people while we explored Saint Paul’s Cathedral. (Submitted on January 21, 2024)
